Christmas 2003: Promises to Keep
by ajremix
Summary: Six Geese a Laying... Six present in my Christmas project. Ziggy wishes to forget. But there's someone he wants to remember.


Part of my Christmas special. Everyday a gift, everyday something different. To open every present, go to my Christmas 2003 page.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Promises to Keep Xenosaga Virgo  
  
She smiled, laying her head on his shoulder. "You did a great job, honey."  
  
" 'Did'?" He grinned back, shifting to wrap strong arms around his wife's slender waist. "I was planning on doing a better job, later..."  
  
"Not now." She giggled around his kisses, though she was kissing him back.  
  
"Ew, don't do that!" They looked down at their son, hands covering his eyes and frown on his face. "That's disgusting!"  
  
She laughed while her husband threw out a false snarl. "Yeah? Well I'll show you pictures of you bathing with your cousins when you were two. How'd you like that?"  
  
"Ew! Dad!"  
  
"Hey, I was the one that had to take the pictures, think how /I/ feel."  
  
His wife slapped his arm. "/I/ was the one that bathed them! /And/ I'm the one that gives you foot rubs when you complain!"  
  
"And for that, I love you dearly." He ignored his sons' squeals as they kissed again. "C'mon boy." He said playfully. "We're just preparing to get you that little brother you always wanted."  
  
"I don't want one coming out of Mom!"  
  
"How else are you supposed to get one?"  
  
"The stork! Or even Santa!"  
  
"Of course. How could've I forgotten about /them/?"  
  
"Jan, don't encourage him."  
  
"C'mon. If the stork brings the kid, you won't have to go through the labor pains and hippo stage and I won't have to go out in the middle of the night and make sauerkraut shakes." He stuck out his tongue, rubbing a hand over his wife's mocha colored skin. "Sounds a lot easier to me."  
  
"You're just lazy."  
  
"I'm hurt."  
  
"Dad! Dad!" He tugged on his father's belt. "Can I open a present?"  
  
"You ask that every year and what do I always say?"  
  
" 'Just one'?"  
  
" 'Not when your mother's around', boy."  
  
"Jan!"  
  
"I'm kidding!" He laughed, ducking from his wife's swats. He went over to the tree and picked out a present. "Well, now, about Santa bringing little brothers..."  
  
His son's eyes went wide. "I got a little brother!?" He didn't actually believe it was possible! In a flurry he tore apart the wrapping and box. And gaped. "DAD!" He hollered, whapping his father with the box. "That's a doll! I'm not a girl!"  
  
"Okay, okay, sorry!" The boy's parents couldn't help themselves, though, laughing until their sides hurt. "Here's your present. Honest."  
  
With a distrusting glare, he opened it up. "Oh wow! A soccer ball!" He knew what that meant. "You're gonna teach me to play!"  
  
"Of course." He wrapped his son in a big hug. "You keep your grades up, I'll even let you practice with the team."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Jan." His wife looked disapproving.  
  
"And if your mom says it's okay." He whispered loudly. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Mom, please? Oh please let me practice with Dad!"  
  
With a sigh, she said, "If you keep your grades up."  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"And no practicing inside." She called after him.  
  
"Aw!"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Ziggy?"  
  
He cursed himself for falling into forbidden memories. Soon, he assured himself, he'd be rid of these. And then- if not in body -he would be with his family in spirit. But first things first...  
  
He turned to look down at MOMO. She felt perpetually shy under his gaze. "Don't you want to open your present?"  
  
"Present?"  
  
"Jr. got all of us gifts. They're all kinda old, but... I guess that's just him. Shion got mad because he got her a book."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Look what I got!" She held her wrist. On the small chain that Jr. had put the bullet charm on was now a small, antique looking plate. Engraved on it was Momo Mizrahi. "It makes me more like a daughter." She smiled. "Here, this one is for you." She handed him a small box.  
  
The cyborg looked at the box for a moment, weightless in his hand. Then, with great patience, Ziggy peeled back the paper and pulled off the lid.  
  
He stopped and just looked at the gift.  
  
"Ziggy? What is it?"  
  
"It's a red string."  
  
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
He picked up the string. Underneath it was a piece of paper. In Jr.'s well practiced scrawl it read: 'Give it some thought. I'm sure you'll 'remember'.^^'  
  
'Remember?' He thought. What was that supposed to-  
  
"Ziggy?"  
  
Suddenly, Ziggy knelt down in front of MOMO, string in one hand, his other grabbing hers.  
  
"Ziggy? What are you doing?"  
  
"This," he said, indicating to the string he was tying to her finger, "is a very old tradition. My- I knew someone that used to do this. A red string tied around your finger. It's to remember a promise."  
  
MOMO looked at him, golden eyes unsure. "But, Ziggy-"  
  
"Promise me one thing, MOMO."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Whatever may become of me, I want you to remember the person I am now."  
  
"What do you mean? Why would I have to remember?" Her face became concerned. "Is something-"  
  
The blonde merely pulled the string into a neat little bow. "Because," he cut in gently, "I trust you. You remind me of someone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Someone important."  
  
"So," she shyly asked, "am I important to you, too?"  
  
Kneeling in front of MOMO he could see fully into her wanting eyes. Finding something in them that satisfied him, he placed a heavy hand on her cheek. And gave her a small smile.  
  
"Very important." 


End file.
